Cessna 172 accident near Concrete, Washington, July 20, 2025
On July 20, 2025 at about 4:36 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 172, registered N6964A, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Concrete, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines, which resulted in a wire strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2025 · about 4:36 pm local time
- Place
- Concrete, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 A, built 1956 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6964A · registry record · serial 29064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was flying over the river to examine a long gravel bar that he intended to land on. While looking for powerlines for the approach he had lost some altitude and was attempting to recover when a power line flew overhead and collided with the vertical stabilizer. The pilot attempted to regain control of the airplane, which then impacted terrain next to the riverbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 614.4 hours in all; 524.8 in this make and model; 32.9 in the last 90 days; 4.4 in the last 30 days; 544.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 4, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,603.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2025; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 2,617 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 1S2 Darrington WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from KBVS, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBVS 201655Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN017 15/11 A3004 RMK A01=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array-accident Site (Courtesy of the Pilot) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25LA216.